V1432 Aql: a polar or an intermediate polar?

Abstract

We present evidence for a spin period of 4070 s in a magnetic cataclysmic variable V1432 Aql, classified as a polar. The evidence is based on the analysis of archival X-ray data obtained from a 25 ks long and uninterrupted observations with XMM-Newton. We also detect modulation of the X-ray flux with the orbital period, various harmonics of the spin period, and side-bands due to beating of the spin period with the orbital period. The energy-dependent light curves and hardness ratios show a very complex behaviour with both the spin phase and the orbital phase, indicating the presence of multiple absorbers of different densities. The observed characteristics suggest the presence of a disk in the system and accretion via a disk-overflow mechanism as is commonly observed in intermediate polars.